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Occurrence Details


Occurrence Number
106E 002
Occurrence Name
Irene
Occurrence Type
Hard-rock
Status
Prospect


General Information

Secondary Commodities: uranium, copper
Deposit Type(s): Iron Oxide Breccias & Veins (Wernecke Breccias)
Location(s): 65.078330 N, -134.251390 W
NTS Mapsheet(s): 106E01
Location Comments: .5 Kilometres
Hand Samples Available at YGS: Yes

Capsule

Work History

Probably first staked in Oct/1910 as Irene cl (12046), although the description given by the staker is somewhat vague. Staked as Key cl (Y32539) by G. Van Bibber in Jun/69 and optioned by Bonnet Plume River ML, which carried out mapping and prospecting and drilled 8 holes (556.0 m) in 1969-70. Restaked as Key cl (Y85748) in Oct/73 by Van Bibber, who performed minor trenching from 1974 to 1976.
The property was overstaked in Nov/75 by Wernecke JV (Chevron Can L & Aquitaine) as Chalco cl (YA1431), which were abandoned in Jul/76. The showing was restaked in Oct/78 as Tag cl (YA38318) by Van Bibber and associates, who transferred 50% to S. Jones and 50% to P. Van Bibber in Dec/87.
Restaked by Pamicon Developments Ltd as part of a large block of Hoover 1-114 cl (YB28692) between July and October, 1992. Pamicon formed a joint venture with Equity Engineering Ltd and Westmin Resources Ltd and explored with geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysics between June and Sep/93. The Hoover 115-186 cl (YB22704) were added in Oct/93. The joint venture partners transferred 100 % interest in the Hoover claims to Westmin Resources Ltd in Jan/94. Westmin then formed a joint venture with Newmont Exploration Ltd.
Between June and Sept/94, the joint venture group drilled five holes (1178 m) on Hoover cl 1 and 3 (YB28692). In Jun/95 the joint venture group drilled 3 diamond drill holes on the Hoover claim block. All 3 holes were drilled near the showing.

Capsule Geology

The region is underlain by a metamorphosed and altered sequence of Early Proterozoic Wernecke Supergroup clastic and carbonate rocks (Fairchild Lake Group, Quartet Group and Gillespie Lake Group, from oldest to youngest) that are intruded by Early to Middle Proterozoic mafic sills and dykes, and cut by Middle Proterozoic Wernecke Breccia. To the east, Wernecke Supergroup rocks are unconformably overlain by Middle Proterozoic Pinguicula Group rocks. According to Thorkelson (2000), Wernecke Breccia development is best modeled as a set of hydrothermal and/or phreatic breccias; brecciation being caused by explosive expanson of volatile-rich fluids. Hunt (2005) attributed Wernecke Breccia formation to periodic over-pressuring of dominantly basinal fluids, which lead to repeated brecciation of host strata and mineral precipitation.
The claims are underlain by Early Proterozoic limy argillite of the Quartet Group cut by Wernecke Breccia. Chalcopyrite and pyrite are weakly disseminated in the breccia and also occur with siderite gangue in lenses, blobs or streaks in peripheral fault zones and fracture stockworks. The best area of mineralization, exposed in a trench about 45 m above the valley floor,was a core of fairly massive chalcopyrite about 3 m wide within a fracture zone about 22.9 m wide that pinches out abruptly uphill and is obscured by talus downhill.
Drilling testing of the two most accessible zones showed average grades of 3.6% Cu over a true width of 3.1 m in a fault zone and 0.23% Cu over 64.9 m in the breccia. Minor brannerite is disseminated within and peripheral to the breccia.
Drill logs for 3 diamond drill holes representing 410 m were filed for the Hoover claim block.

References

BONNET PLUME RIVER MINES LTD, Oct/69. Assessment Report #060187 by J.G. Simpson and J.F. Pagella.

HEON, D., 2006. Isotope dating of lead-zinc occurrences in the Bonnet Plume area, Preliminary Report, Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2006-16.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Paper 76-1A, p. 132.

GORDEY, S.P. AND MAKEPEACE, A.J., 2003. Yukon Digital Geology, version 2.0, S.P. Gordey and A.J. Makepeace (comp); Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1749 and Yukon Geological Survey, Open File 2003-9 (D).

PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Sept/94. Assessment Report #093223 by M. Jones and K. Hofmann.

PAMICON DEVELOPMENTS LTD, Nov/95. Assessment Report #093435 by M.A. Stammers.

THORKELSON, D.J. AND WALLACE, C.A., 2000. Geology and mineral occurrences of the Slats Creek, Fairchild Lake and ¿Dolores Creek¿ areas, Wernecke Mountains, Yukon (106D/16, 106C/13, 106C/14). Exploration and Geological Services Division, Yukon Region, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Bulletin 10, 73 p.

WESTMIN RESOURCES LTD, Dec/92. Assessment Report #093123 by M.A. Stammers.

WESTMIN RESOURCES LTD, Jan/94. Assessment Report #093173 by M.A. Stammers.

YUKON EXPLORATION & GEOLOGY 1995, p. 12, 16.

Location Map

Last Updated: Aug 1, 2018

Work History

Year Work Type Comment
1996 Trenching: Mechanical
1995 Drilling: Diamond Three holes, 410 m.
1994 Drilling: Diamond Five holes, 1,178 m.
1993 Geochemistry: Rock
1993 Geochemistry: Soil
1993 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1993 Ground Geophysics: IP Also magnetic survey.
1975 Trenching: Mechanical
1974 Trenching: Mechanical
1969 Drilling: Diamond Eight holes, 555.95 m.
1969 Geology: Bedrock Mapping
1969 Other: Prospecting

Regional Geology - Terrane

Group: Ancestral North America
Affinity: W Laurentia
Name: North America - platformal strata
Realm: Laurentia


Regional Geology - Bedrock

Supergroup: Wernecke
Group/Suite: Fairchild Lake
Formation:
Member:
Terrane: Laurentia
Period Max: Statherian
Age Max: 1800 MA
Period Min: Statherian
Age Min: 1600 MA
Rock Major: siltstone, sandstone
Rock Minor:
Reference: Thorkelson et al. (2002) - YGS GM 2002-2
Geological Unit (1M): lPFL
Geological Unit (250K): lPFL1

Assessment Reports that overlap occurrence

Report Number Year Title Worktypes Holes Drilled Meters Drilled
095646 2007 2007 Geological, Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Werneckes Project Diamond - Drilling, Rock - Geochemistry, Silt - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Detailed Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Regional Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Magnetics - Ground Geophysics, Scintillometer - Ground Geophysics, Prospecting - Other, Backhoe - Trenching, Hand - Trenching, Handblast - Trenching 28 6537.96
094956 2006 2006 Geological, Geochemical and Geophysical Report on the Werneckes Project Reverse Circulation - Airborne Geophysics, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, Scintillometer - Ground Geophysics, Prospecting - Other
093435 1995 1995 Diamond Drilling Report on the Hoover Mineral Claims Diamond - Drilling 3 409.40
093223 1994 [1994 Diamond Drilling Logs and Assay Results for Hoover Claims] Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry 5 1124.24
093173 1993 1993 Summary Report on the Hoover 1-114 Claims Orthophoto - Airphotography, Rock - Geochemistry, Soil - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology, IP - Ground Geophysics, Magnetics - Ground Geophysics, Line Cutting - Other
093114 1992 1992 Geochemical Report on the Hoover 1-8 Mineral Claims Rock - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology
061618 1969 Bonnet Plume River Mines Ltd. Geological Report - Key Claims Property Diamond - Drilling, Rock - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology 8 434
060187 1969 Bonnet Plume River Mines Ltd. Geological Report - Key Claims Property Diamond - Drilling, Drill Core - Geochemistry, Rock - Geochemistry, Bedrock Mapping - Geology 5 434.04

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